The Lyon sleeps tonight

As a young whipper snapper I was no stranger to a B&B. Along with mum, dad and my brother kieren we’d regularly visit the nearby Lake District and would often stop in one of the many guesthouses on Derwentwater’s shores. With the rise of platforms such as Airbnb these homely stays are sadly fast becoming a thing of the past, or so I thought up until the weekend. Seduced by images of a swimming pool that overlooked wooded slopes and ancient bell towers, I’d eagerly booked us a two night stay high above the valley that runs between Lyon and St Ettiene. Arriving to an empty house it soon became apparent that we’d have to traverse the owners bedroom to get to our room for the night. At first we were more than a little perturbed about the situation but in all fairness the family were very welcoming and gave us full use of their outdoor kitchen which we used for breakfast in the mornings.

Sunday was Father’s Day and with it being my first the girls decided a trip to nearby Lyon was in order. We took the train to Part Dieu excited about the day ahead, as we’d been reliably informed on numerous occasions that it was a city worth visiting. For whatever reason Lyon, not unlike its apex predator namesake, seemed to be in the grasp of a deep Sunday afternoon slumber. Shops showed no signs of life, whilst the restaurants had taken their customary midday nap. We did eventually stumble across a half decent food spot but the bouchons for which the city is famous seemed frozen by the pervading malaise. Unperturbed we crossed one wide boulevard after another until we reached the River Saône where we stopped and admired the views of the Basilica of Notre Dame. By then it was time to head back to our adopted family and after stumbling through a few questionable streets on our route back to the station we were only too glad to get a good nights kip.

Overall it would be harsh to judge Lyon on a five hour stint one sleepy Sunday dinner but it was the first French city we haven’t really taken to. Over the years we’ve grown to take a liking to the smaller city’s that are easily accessible and can largely be discovered on foot, Lyon seemed a little big baggy.

Love on the Saône